I Heart Rhubarb.

I ♥ Rhubarb.
I am the Bubba Gump of rhubarb.
I love to think up 1001 ways to use the gorgeous, pinky stalks growing in the corners of my garden. I can do crumbles and crisps and chutneys and muffins but, this year, I decided to stick to the basics. Here a 2 super simple ways to use up your spring rhubarb......and a surprise!



A Compote


I think this is the best way to showcase rhubarb. Simple and to the point. Chop up rhubarb & stew with a bit of water and brown rice syrup over low heat for a loooong time. The resulting compote is perfectly sweet and tart. Delicious with Greek yogurt, scones or served with a bit of ice cream.

Rhubarberry Jam


This is a freezer jam. As opposed to properly canned jam, freezer jam requires less sweetener and I don’t need to use a pectin. Regular canning, however lasts on the shelf for up to a year and is much better for gifting! In this case, the jam is all for us, so I skipped the labour intensive bits and just chucked whatever we didn't eat right away in the freezer.

Slow cook chopped rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, a bit of water and brown rice syrup on the stove. When soft, I mash it up a bit, pour into clean mason jars and freeze the extra!

Last but certainly not least....
Rhubarb Schnapps…..because, why not?

Photo Nigella Lawson How to be a Domestic Goddess

I was looking for a more interesting way to use up the rest of my rhubarb when I came across this recipe in Nigella Lawson’s How to be a Domestic Goddess.

With summer coming, and the first season of boozy, schmoozy Mad Men influencing my decisions, I decided alcohol was the way to go. This takes 5 minutes to prep and about 6 weeks to steep. In the meantime, I’ll be devising a recipe for my new favorite summer cocktail, I think. I’m planning on calling it “The Boozy Rhube”. …just in time for July!

Chop up rhubarb and place in a jar. For every 500gm of rhubarb, sprinkle on 150gm of white sugar, put the lid on the jar and shake well. (I may try a better sweetener next time, but as this was my first time trying the recipe I decided to leave well enough alone!) Take off the lid and fill with vodka...the cheap stuff. Place in a cool dark place for 6 weeks to 6 months, shaking every other day for the first month or so.